INTRODUCTION. 



as 



to the great feudatories or vassals, the inhabitants of 

 the cities were permitted to establish municipal tribu- 

 nals, exempt from all control but that of the crown. 

 By this means, the kings were enabled to get the bet- 

 ter of the barons, after which, both in France and 

 Spain, these bodies were either narrowed in their 

 powers or treated with neglect; an occurrence which 

 fortunately did not take place in England. 



The Spaniards had much attachment to the cabil- 

 dos; and the first settlers and conquerors, took great 

 pains to introduce them into America; they were be- 

 sides, desirous of enlarging their powers as much as 

 possible. In the first instance, they were granted to 

 every village, until after experience proved that they 

 placed more power in the hands of the inhabitants, than 

 was thought convenient to allow; especially as it was 

 more extensive than had ever been given to the cabildos 

 of Spain. Depons mentions a remarkable instance of 

 what he calls usurpation on the part of the cabildos; its 

 consequences resemble so much the occurrences that 

 have taken place in some parts of South America, since 

 the expulsion of the Spanish authorities, that I cannot 

 refrain from extracting it. ^^The weakness of the gover- 

 nor Villacinda, suffered the cabildos of Venezuela to 

 take a gigantic stride towards the usurpation of power. 

 This governor, who died in 1556, ordained, to the 

 prejudice of his lieutenant general, that during the 

 vacancy, the cabildos should govern the province, 

 each in its district, until the arrival of a regular suc- 

 cessor. Never, perhaps, did imagination conceive an 

 idea so absurd; but it was too flattering to those whom 

 it clothed with authority, not to be considered by them 

 as wise. Thus were the powers of government dis- 



